Into Pahor
by Leishe
Summary: Gifted with the power of firesight, Yoh is sent beyond the walls of his village on a journey that will either kill him, or make him stronger. YohxAnna
1. Chapter One

**Into Pahór**

a.d.r.i.l.e.y.

_There was once a road through the woods_

_Before they planted the trees._

_It is underneath the coppice and heath,_

_And the thin anemones._

_Only the keeper sees_

_That, where the ring-dove broods,_

_And the badgers roll at ease,_

_There was once a road through the woods._

_-_The Way Through the Woods, Rudyard Kipling

**Chapter One.**

The House was made of old wood; and by the smell of it, the boy could tell that the wood was of the Ancient Trees, which had existed before time was wrought. How the old man had built the house, the boy had no clue. Instead, he contented himself with sitting by the fireplace, while the First Elder summoned the other children.

The First day of the March of Eve was arriving, and a great festival was to be held in the small town of Ajima, in the mountains. Travellers who seldom braved the landslides, forests and precipices were coming in by the dozens, and Master Tao's inn's seven and forty rooms were packed, leaving the other foreigners to depend on the locals for board and lodging.

The boy gazed into the leaping flames of the fire, as he heard the gentle patter of the First Elder's footsteps, along with the loud, clicking running of the other children. Soon, the tall black chair by the hearth was filled with an old, dark man, whose wrinkles told of age, and whose dark eyes twinkled with starlight.

Shapes and noises began to surround the boy, as the children sat down. He heard their laughing and whispering subside, when the First Elder put a bony finger to his lips, and smiled, showing his betel nut-stained teeth.

The boy looked at the man as well, and noticed that the room grew a little warmer. Everything was hushed now, as the children watched the man take a blue cloth pouch from his robe, and open it.

"Children," he croaked, smiling, "I have a tale for you this day." The First Elder reached into the pouch, and the boy craned his neck to see what was inside. His view, however, was blocked by Master Tao's son, Ren.

The Elder took his hand out of the pouch, fisted. The children's eager eyes were now on the brown hand. The old man smiled again, and thrust his fist into the fire.

The boy watched in awe, as the licking flames failed to burn the old man's hand. He had a suspicion that it was too old to be burnt, or made of Ancient wood, as some have said.

He let his hand open, and instantly, the fire turned a fierce emerald colour. Gasps were heard from the cloud of children, but the deacons, garbed in black, just smiled to themselves, for the tricks of the First Elder were well-known within the council.

"Today," the Elder said, "I will tell of the brave warrior, Amidamaru, and his quest to look for the Elixir of Immortality."

With his words, the fire's green tinge diminished to a fierce red, as the boy gazed at the dark silhouettes that took shape before his eyes. _A man on a horse, and his big sword at the side. Goblins were attacking a village, and he was going to save them…_

"They say that he was only a legend, but some people believe otherwise…" said the First Elder, who glanced at the boy, with a meaningful look. He was absorbed in the fire, dark eyes widening.

The old man continued with his story, and the children listened, paying rapt attention to the Elder. But words were gone to the boy, looking into the fire. It was as if he was in another world.

One of the deacons noticed this. Her eyes flickered to the boy, who was not paying the First Elder any attention. Engrossed by the dancing flames, he looked at nothing but the fire, which was by now, turning a deep violet. Jun Tao sighed, and remembered, how she too had seen the moving silhouettes, and how the others had not.

But it was only a memory; a lost chapter in her childhood. Now, Jun was training to become one of the future leaders of Ajima, under the Third and Fourth Elders.

"And so, our great warrior wedded the beautiful princess Shina of the kingdom of Solbedur, and they lived happily into the next life, at their home, in the islands of the south ocean."

The Elder had finished the story, and the children were gone, running out to tell their parents and friends of the legend of Amidamaru, the warrior. The story-room was empty and quiet, except for the fire, the First Elder, and the boy.

The deacons were now shuffling out in a quiet manner, and Jun with them. The last remnants of her gaze fell upon the boy, still entranced by the flames, and the old man, who was now looking intently at the child.

The fire had now faded to its normal colour, and the trance was broken. The boy looked up to see that the story was over, and was sorry that it was, since he had enjoyed seeing the mighty warrior's great adventures in the swirling flames of the hearth.

He met the Elder's gaze, and immediately stood up and bowed, preparing to leave. But the old man shook his head and motioned for the boy to sit down. He obeyed.

After a few moments of silence, the First Elder asked the boy a question.

"Were you not listening to my story?"

The boy blinked, realized that he in fact, had not, and felt guilty for it. He shook his head slowly, staring at the wooden floor.

The Elder nodded.

"Tell me. How did Amidamaru defeat the dragon-lord of Briu?"

The boy looked up. "He used a single feather from under the right wing of a red pheasant." The words were out of his mouth before he knew it, and the First Elder was impressed.

"How did you know?" he hid the awe in his voice.

"The fire told me."

This answer seemed to surprise the Elder, because his face was lined more than usual, in deep thought.

"Fire?"

The boy nodded vehemently. "I saw the black shapes—of Amidamaru, and the dragon-lord, and the other—"

"Shapes." The old man cut him off. The boy nodded, even though it was not a question.

A pause, and then,

"What is your name, boy?"

"Asakura Yoh, sir." The child intoned a voice of respect.

"Hmmmm…Your father is the woodcutter?"

Nod.

"I see." The First Elder smiled, a little bit wider than before. "You have my permission to leave, Asakura Yoh." He said, with a sweeping motion of his hand.

Yoh bowed, his white tunic slipping a bit. The boy hastily fixed it, before leaving the story-room.

………………………….

The town of Ajima is sometimes called the Middle House, because of its location, in the mountains. It is bordered on three sides: by mountains, by the cliffs leading to the ocean, and by the sky.

There are only two ways to enter Ajima: one is by the mountain route, and the other is through coming from the Realm of the Endless. The fourth side of Ajima, you see, is bordered by a wall. Beyond that wall is a vast expanse of endless grass; the largest meadow that anyone had ever seen.

No one enters the passageway to go beyond the wall; it is said that the land there is evil, and that it continues for miles and miles until you fall of the end of the earth. Most of the townsfolk ignore it, and the wall is a subject that people here in Ajima would usually prefer to avoid.

………………………………………….

But once every seven years, a curious thing happens beyond the wall. For on The March of Eve which lasts for five days, a forest appears, about half a mile from the borders of Ajima. That is where the creatures of evil come from, according to the Elders.

But the Elders are not always correct, for people who are isolated in one place for a very long time have the tendency to fear things that they do not know of.

……………………………………………..

Master Tao was relieved of duty by his eldest daughter, Jun. Coming back from the story house, the woman took her black deacon's robe off, revealing a simple brown dress.

"Thank Kami." Breathed her father, a little bit too impatiently.

"You go and serve the newcomers, girl, while I go and see what that good-for-nothing cook Bason is up to."

Jun nodded, and walked over to a table of noisy men, whose dark complexions deemed them to be from the far-off kingdom of India.

A timid smile on her face, the woman asked for their choice of drink.

"Two more beers for Ahmed here, dearie." Said the largest man, whose potbelly made him look pregnant.

Jun nodded.

"Anything else, sirs?"

The four men shook their head. The woman prepared to leave, but was interrupted by a rather out-of-place question.

"By the way, girl, when is the forest at its darkest?" queried one of the four men, who presumably, was the Ahmed that had ordered the two beers.

"F-forest, sir?" The woman was startled by the mention of the evil expanse of woods that had just appeared that day.

Ahmed nodded.

Jun could feel her hands shaking slightly. "That w-would be on the third day, s-sir." She managed to blurt out. The forest was not something forbidden to talk about, but the deacons and the Elders were usually sensitive about the topic.

"I see." Replied Ahmed, and returned to conversing with his three other friends, something along the lines of Ostrich-raising.

Jun quickly put the order up onto the bulletin board over the counter, and two bottles of an amber-coloured liquid were pushed back by one of the bartenders, Pailong. The woman muttered a quick thanks, and rushed to deliver the orders.

…………………………………………………..

"What's that?"

"Where?"

"That thing over there, falling from the sky."

Ren pointed madly at a small, dark shape, which was falling from the expense of sky, just a bit above the dark forest. It plummeted to the ground at a breakneck speed, and disappeared into the leafy treetops of the forbidden area.

"I don't see anything." Replied Pirika blankly, looking at her friend as if he was crazy. Ren shook his head, and stalked off with an air of annoyance. The girl soon followed, still wondering what on earth he was talking about.

"Where?!"

………………………………………………….

"Ow."

The birds of the forest paused, upon hearing a clear, female voice rise above the sounds of the oncoming wind.

"Ow."

It said again, as more small animals came to observe the thing that had fallen from the sky, a few moments ago.

The strange, two-legged creature lifted her head to look at the numerous pairs of eyes peering at her curiously. She glared at them coldly.

There, in a crook of the roots of a large Beech, lay a girl. Her leg was splayed out at an awkward angle, and her pale face was contorted in pain. She opened her dark, dark eyes, and observed the injuries that she had sustained. A bit of blood stained the black dress that she wore, but it didn't show. She took a bit more time to discover her broken leg, and quite foolishly, tried to see if she could stand up.

"Damn!"

Her sharp voice echoed into the treetops, sending several birds flying into the sky.

……………………………………………………………….

"What's going on there?" Yoh mused to himself, upon seeing the birds suddenly scatter into the clear skies, from the forest. He looked at the dark melange of trees for a bit more, then shrugged, and went back to his hammock, to nap before the festivities started.

Humming, the boy turned the volume of his walkman up, and strolled home.

**Author's notes**

Haha, first SK fic here! :D I hope it suits your needs. This IS just the first chapter, after all, and yes, I think it is going to be YohAnna. An AU thing, mind you. Kindly leave a review, a bit of advice, and anything that might be helpful. :)


	2. Chapter Two

**Into Pahór**

a.d.r.i.l.e.y.

_O you that are so strong and cold,_

_O blower, are you young or old?_

_Are you a beast of field and tree,_

_Or just a stronger child than me?_

-The Wind (an excerpt), Robert Louis Stevenson

**Chapter Two**

The long, supple masts of the skyship _Hopecatcher_ quivered with every gust of wind that came whirling through the Pahór skies. The dawn was over, and morning had arrived, yet the misty horizon provided no view of the sun.

"Sir, it looks like our course is blocked by the westerlies!" called a man, from the crow's nest.

The tall, bumbling Ryu scrambled down from the ship's topmost point, fumbling with the ropes and knots. He was an able, but painfully clumsy man, quick of speech, but slow of wit. It was common belief among others that the captain kept him for his sharp eyes.

"Those aren't the westerlies, you snothead!" retorted Bregoo, the steersman of the day.

He shivered ruefully under his worn jacket, stuffed with seagull feathers. The old, sometimes eccentric man had an eye—or rather, a touch for the wind, and was the first man to be recruited on the Hopecatcher.

"Cant ye tell a northing gust from a west one? Thiss'un has the White Peaks written all over it!" The old man spat at the younger one with contempt.

"What do you know?" shot back Ryu, clearly offended. "I was talking to the Cap'n!"

"More than you do." Cackled Bregoo, through his broken smile.

He turned back to the wooden steering wheel, a wary eye cast on the grey clouds that drifted soulfully on the horizon, not unlike the lazy seal cows that Bregoo had used to hunt, when he had once been young…

Soon, long, purposeful strides were heard through the echo of the wooden planks. Ryu turned sharply to the left, just as Bregoo guided the ship into a thick wad of moist, white cloud.

The old man heard Ryu talk.

"Captain…the westerlies— !" But he was cut off, much to the steersman's delight.

"It's a Northern wind, Ryu." There was a hint of amusement in the deep, rich voice of the man. "The smell of it has White Peaks written all over it."

Bregoo couldn't help his meaningful cough, the old man's version of "I told you so." This earned him a sharp glance from the captain.

Captain Hiko Kyouyama gazed serenely at the white and grey clouds, drifting peacefully on Pahór's magnificent skyline. He sensed a slight tension brought by the winds this morning, but was not troubled by it. The Hopecatcher was nearing its destination; and it had been the first untroubled voyage that his crew had had, since the encounter with the Horse Kings of the desert.

"All's well, then?"

A tap of a wooden arm, and a nod. The tap from Bregoo, and the nod from Ryu.

"I see."

Hiko was a tall man, with a good build, and tanned, weather-beaten skin. In his dark eyes you would only see dreams of conquering the vastness of the stars, as his long, dark hair whipped with the turbulence of the dancing winds.

_Pit—_

_Patter—_

_Patt—_

_Pitter—_

_Pat._

Presently, another set of footfalls were heard by the three men on deck. Lighter now, and Hiko smiled slightly, as he knew who exactly it was.

_Stop._

_Thump._

"Father?"

Anna.

With a graceful air, the man turned to the ten-year old girl, who had a frown written on her face.

_Ah_, he thought with delight. And pride. _A true child of the winds._

"Anna. Good morning." He greeted, ruffling her sun-coloured hair.

"Father," repeated the girl, tying a red sash over her head. "When are we going to reach Little Haven?"

At this, Hiko cast a long glance out at the darkening sky.

"Soon." Was all he said.

"Aye." Agreed Bregoo, his eyes telling of a storm to come. "Soon indeed, young lass."

Miffed, Ryu chose to ascend back to the crow's nest, since, he thought, he was not wanted here. Hiko stifled a chuckle.

He stopped, when another wind tunnelled past, prompting Bregoo to curse loudly.

"Son of a Widroogin!" he spat ruefully, bumpy hands clutching the wheel.

In the distance, a peculiar whirring sound was heard, perhaps like that of a large aircraft, but stronger, and strangely, more whiplike.

"I suggest you go and ask Mrs. Delia for the schedule of today's meals." Said Hiko to Anna, a tone of warning hidden in his voice.

The girl sensed it, and stiffened, wondering what her dad's problem was. She was even more surprised when Bregoo backed the Captain up.

"Aye. You do that, girl." He intoned darkly, never taking his eyes off the skyscape, as the whirring sound grew louder.

Anna nodded, and left for the kitchens.

…………………………………………......

When the girl was out of earshot, Hiko asked Bregoo a question.

"Do you think we'll survive it?" he asked, indicating the source of the whirring sound.

The old man shook his head, as he spun the wheel.

"It's too large. Iffem not mistaken, Cap, that's e' legendary wind serpent, Leviathan."

Hiko's frown deepened, when he heard Bregoo's words.

"Indeed?"

…………………………………………….

On a nice morning, Keiko was as usual, a calm and kind lady; making other men envy the woodcutter for his charming wife. But on some days, when everything harasses the poor woman to no end, such as a group of foreigners requesting lodging on the March of Eve, surely even a person as firm and gentle as she can get cranky.

And that was the case, that painfully wonderful morning.

…………………………………………….

"YOH! GET UP AND SERVE THE GUESTS!"

The shrill voice of Mrs. Asakura shattered the warm and fuzzy atmosphere of the sleeping boy's room, making him jolt up in surprise, and on instinct, groggily reach for his headphones and walkman. All was still stained with the aftermath of a lonog, sound sleep, the only cure of which, was Yoh's mother's voice.

"I'll be there…in a minute, mother," he yawned, his voice still rough with sleep.

Slowly, Yoh crawled out of the welcoming warm blankets of his soft, soft bed. His feet started at how uncommonly cold the wooden floor seemed to be, as he stretched leisurely.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAhh—"

"YOH!"

The boy grinned at how worked-up his mother was, as he slipped into his clothes. And then, the reason dawned on him. _Of_ _course,_ he reminded himself. _It'is the second day of the March of Eve. _

"YOOOOOOOOH!"

A sigh.

"Coming…"

Pretty soon, Yoh was changed and awake, walking out of his bedroom, to face a usually laid-back woman, who could now be mistaken for an angry bull.

Pink in the face, the slight frame of his mother was rigid with impatience. Her shrill words rang into the boy's ears as he passed her by, rushing as quickly as possible to serve their esteemed guests her homemade cinnamon porridge.

"Morning, mom." Said Yoh, smiling easily.

The woman sighed in defeated exasperation at how calm her son could be when it came to times like these. But that was Yoh—quick of wit, and with an easy smile.

Maybe Mrs. Asakura didn't express it at that moment, but she would not have her son any other way.

The small kitchen of their humble cottage was cluttered, as guests prepared to have their breakfast. A group of merchants had come to inquire on lodging at the woodcutter's house, and the man had been too…_polite_ to decline. At least, that's what Mrs. Asakura thought.

_Thud._

_Thud._

_Thud._

Yoh climbed the steps up to the loft, which his father had arranged into a makeshift guestroom. The five merchants were already there; conversing, lighting their heavy-scented incense sticks, and awaiting the first meal of the day.

Mr. Borealis was not a very demanding person. Fair of skin and slight of build, he was seven and thirty years of age, and yet, people told him that he only looked like two and twenty.

Of course, Mr. Borealis was one of modesty, and when complimented, would never make a big thing out of it. But a curious trait about this man was his extreme determination—when he wanted something, Mr. Borealis would get it, and that was that.

Right now, however, Mr. Borealis wanted his breakfast, and finally got it when that lazy woodcutter's son appeared in the doorway with a tray loaded with five bowls of steaming porridge that smelled of cinnamon, as well as a loaf of soft bread; crunchy on the outside, but wonderfully soft on the inside, and creamy to the taste.

Yoh grinned as he set the tray down at the low wooden table his father had put there for the guests.

"Here are your breakfasts, sirs." He said cheerily.

"It's about time." Agreed Mr. Borealis, grabbing a spoon.

"What be the bill, sonny?" inquired a very tall merchant, whose beard seemed to defy proportion.

"Uh…" Yoh stopped for a moment as he tried to recall what his mother had yelled at him a few seconds ago, before he had accidentally spilled one of the bowls, and had to return to the kitchen to get another one.

"Um, well…you see…"

You tried to remember, he really did…but there are just some things that really slip your mind sometimes. And in his case, it was the bill.

One of the merchants sat back, and lit a cigarette. The butt, which was beginning to char, glowed a bit, with some orange and red flecks, here and there.

But even that sorry excuse for a light was good enough for Yoh. Staring at the cigarette hard, he suddenly remembered…

"That'll be three and sixty sarii." He suddenly said, and Mr. Borealis, thinking the fare a cheap price, merely nodded and reached for his silk magenta wallet.

The man with the cigarette was staring at Yoh hard.

"Here."

Mr. Borealis dropped the silver coins into the boy's open palm. Yoh grinned and thanked him, and was about to leave…

"You there, boy." Interrupted a deep voice, aimed at Yoh.

Surprised, he turned around to face the merchants again.

"Sir?"

The man with the cigarette puffed a bit more, before crushing the tobacco product between his forefinger and thumb. Yoh watched the bits of burning paper fall onto the floor of the loft, burn a little brighter, and then vanish.

"How old are ye?" the man asked.

"Ten." The brown-haired boy was beginning to feel a tad uncomfortable around these men, but shook the feeling off.

The merchant nodded, and turned to Mr. Borealis, throwing the other man a meaningful look.

"Not bad." He said.

Mr. Borealis nodded.

"Not bad indeed."

Yoh, not sure of what was going on, and whether their words had anything to do with him, headed for the door at the fastest rate within the boundaries of politeness.

When Mr. Borealis looked up, the door thudded to a close.

He chuckled, and reached for his mahogany pipe, a curious object that he had gotten near the coast of Norway.

"He's a bit naïve, though." He said, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

The cigarette man just nodded, preferring to stay silent.

Mr. Borealis sighed.

"Give the boy a few more years, and we'll see."

……………………………………………………………

The white waves of light came towards Bregoo so fast, that for a fleeting instance, he didn't know where he was and what in heaven's name he was doing.

All that mattered was the creature—that horrible, demonic creature, roaring towards them at Godspeed…

"Bregoo!! Steer sideways! LEFT!!!" a hoarse voice tried to overpower the noise of the hurricane, but to no avail.

The old skyfarer struggled to follow the captain's orders, his good ear straining to hear over the howling roar of the oncoming winds.

Sharp…so sharp, like knives…knives that could kill.

"BREGOO!!!"

A loud crash was heard, and the thundering, earsplitting scream of Leviathan rocked the whole body of the Hopecatcher, making it jerk precariously in the air.

All men who were on deck were brought to their knees; not in prayer, but in agony. They clutched madly at their ears, bloodied and torn by the intensity of the windstorm that the legendary serpent had brought with it.

Hiko, panicked and almost driven to madness, managed to hold on to a scrap of sanity himself. He crawled over the wooden planks of the deck, clawing at the cracks with his sunburnt fingers, as the ship was getting more and more vertical by the second.

There was only one thought that entered his mind, and that was to get out of this storm, and drift to the safety of Little Havens.

And one more thing…

Hiko launched himself up with a skyfarer's agility, and scrambled to the steering wheel, where the old man lay screaming in unconfined agony. His eyes were bulging, and Bregoo's old, knotted hands pointed to the sky in front of them…

And for a moment, Hiko glanced at what he was pointing at.

_And then he froze._

There, an angled, white head of swirling wind was hurtling towards them at a speed so fast that it was only a blur in Hiko's hawklike eyes. The creature's head was like that of a dragon; white, with blue eyes. Its body extended for miles across the giant expense of grey sky, and with him, Leviathan brought the tearing winds.

_Leviathan…_

_The Lord of all Wind Serpents._

And then, Hiko thought of Anna, and only Anna, before the beautiful and terrible creature reached for the small skyship, and tore the captain apart with its claws.

Blood flecked the pure air.

Hiko screamed.

………………………………………………...

When Anna felt the ship rock sideward and then jerk violently, she knew something was wrong. Looking around violently, the girl wondered what was going on above. Anna cursed mentally for letting her father order her to spend the day with the cook—all she did was talk relentlessly…and, well, _cook._

Mrs. Delia was chattering about Willow bark's healing properties, when the captain's daughter said something very rude to her.

"Shut up."

At this, the plump woman jerked her head up in indignation.

"Why, that's no way to talk to your elders, young woman!" Delia reached out to slap Anna on the cheek, before the girl caught the older woman's hand swiftly, and pushed it to the side violently.

"There's something wrong on deck." Anna told Delia. "I have to go up there."

The cook looked miffed. "You'll do no such thing. The captain told me to keep you down here!"

Her shrill voice was brought to a shriek by the tearing, whirling sound of the cold north winds. Delia realized that the kitchen door had swung open, revealing a nearly vertical deck, and that Anna was nowhere in sight.

"THE NERVE OF THAT—EEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!"

Before the fat woman had time to finish cursing Anna, the boat reared to an angle at which she slipped across the floor of the kitchen, and crashed headfirst into a rack full of her best chopping knives.

………………………………………………

"FATHER!!"

Anna's dark eyes widened in horror, as she saw the lifeless body of Hiko sprawled and bloodied across the deck. Beside him was a mad Bregoo, screaming with insanity, and tearing his grey hair out.

Before Anna had time to react, she saw it.

The Serpent-Lord reared up, showing its white head, and thundering menacingly. The girl on deck took the sight in, but not without noticing the bloodstains on Leviathan's right claw.

Slowly, it all began to sink in, amidst the death, the wind, the noise and the destruction around her.

Anna's face began to contort with rage, as her knuckles grew white with the tightness of her fists.

"father…" her voice came out softer than a windchime, but then, thundered to a horrifying volume.

"_YOU!!!!"_ she bellowed, although her noise was no match for the wind.

"_**YOU KILLED HIM!!!!"**_

Her face a mask of fury and gathering amount of irrepressible rage, dark shapes began to form before her, sharp and fleeing; shadows.

Leviathan paid no heed to the child with the murderous gleam in her eyes, and instead, tore at the ship with such force and accuracy, that it spun wildly in the air.

A deep contentment rumbled in the white-scaled throat of its. Her head whirling with resentment, pain from the frigid blasts of staggering wind, and unbridled wrath, Anna barely understood that Leviathan was speaking to her.

_Destroy I, hated one._

_For killed my brethren has he._

Anna felt herself slipping down the deck. Panicked, she held on to the wood—the ropes…anything that could support her.

The girl felt the cutting cold tear at her bare shoulders. A flash of red appeared before her.

_Wind can cut flesh._

And then, before she had time to scream, Anna fell.

_Sleep…_

_It eludes me._

The girl caught in the roots of the beech tree stared upwards through half-lidded eyes, as the last rays of the sun caught the deep green leaves of the towering trees. She hurt all over, and wondered if she was going to die there, or if something was coming to eat her…

But it didn't matter…because she had lost everything.

At this thought, a dark, angular shape separated from her, crawling along the ground, until it vanished. The girl watched it disappear into the growing darkness of the forest, and sobbed inwardly.

She was losing them, one by one…all of her precious shadows.

The girl closed her eyes, and tried to pretend that everything had been a dream.

That she was lying asleep in her bunk in the cabin, and that breakfast was going to be served.

And her father would knock gently on her door, to wake her up…

Her father…

_Kyouyama Hiko._

Anna's frail body shook violently, as sobs made their way up her throat, choking her, and disappearing. Hot, salty tears coursed down her smooth pale cheeks.

She missed him.

………………………………………………

The old woman continued through the forest, humming and looking sharply for berries. Her dark glasses glimmered in what little orange light the trees let through. The wicker basket that she clutched in her hand was getting heavier by the berry, but it was still light for her to drag along.

"Light's dimming…" she mused to herself, but not uneasily.

A few more steps, here and there, until she heard the light sobbing of a young girl. The woman's ears perked up.

"What? What on earth could that be?"

Slowly but surely, the old woman stepped over the invading roots of a rather out of place oak, and hastened her pace to where the sobbing came from.

………………………………………………

Deep in the forest, in a small bit brightly-lit cottage, an old man sighed, in his rocking chair. The candle beside him flickered in response, as a small brown cat curled in the druid's lap. The man petted the creature absently for a while, before returning to his reading: the ancient scrolls of Pahón.

"I wonder when Kino will get here." He muttered.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes:**

Yay! Chapter two has finished. Thank you for the reviews, guys, especially to Bunni Girl. Your advice really helped, and I hope I can work hard on this story. I think I'm going to have quite a bit of trouble in the future keeping the characters' personality right…but, oh well. U

PS

Did I manage the angst? I think I'll switch the genres to action/adventure/romance soon. Maybe. :P


	3. Chapter Three

**Into Pahór**

a.d.r.i.l.e.y.

_The warm smell of the fruit was good_

_To feed on, and the split green wood,_

_With all its bearded lips and stains_

_Of mosses in the cloven veins,_

_Most pleasant, if one lay or stood_

_In sunshine or in happy rains._

August (an excerpt), Algernon Charles Swinburne

**Chapter Three**

The white hummingbird never really came close to the centre of the forest much—only at the edge did it venture, feasting lucratively on the sweet nectar of honeysuckles, bluebells, irises, violets and a vast array of beautiful wildflowers that grew near the feared wood, known to the people of Ajima as the Realm of the Endless.

It chanced upon a small, clear brook, running into the undergrowth. Hummingbirds are never really that curious, but this one was different. Flapping its wings so rapidly that all you could see was a blur; the bird flew, or rather, floated into Pahór's woods, Calendirith.

…………………………………………………..

The girl's dark eyes flickered open with the first whisper of sunlight on her pale skin.

She stared disbelievingly at the thatched interior of a small cottage roof; where once had been the endless map of dark skies, shaded by the maze of leaves and branches of the forest.

_Where am I?_ No sooner had the thought flitted through her head, when she remembered—

The noises, the crunching of feet upon sodden leaves, and the _smell…_

Roses.

Pine.

And wild berries.

The rustling of a crimson tunic somewhere in the darkness, and someone muttering ancient words of healing.

Anna sat up, and realized that her blood stained black dress was gone. She was wearing a pale robe bound at the waist with a lavender sash, and was lying on a great bed, stuffed with down and heather, and all the sweet-smelling softness of the forests.

Most was white, and brown. The cottage she was in was made of ancient wood, and the simple curtains were an off-white colour. The early breeze flew in from the window, and the presence of a hummingbird was sensed.

A thin vein of throbbing pain still crawled up her bad leg, but Anna realized that most of the hurt she had felt had vanished.

Absently, the girl brushed the hair out of her eyes.

Leaves fell outside, and Anna climbed out of the bed, her feet touching the uncannily warm stone tile of the floor. She spotted her red scarf hanging from a wooden chair. Anna took it.

………………………………………………………

Yohmei sipped at his green tea quietly, when his wife took in the morning's breakfast.

"Smells good." He remarked, eyeing the array of bread and the fruits.

"These are for the girl." Retorted Kino sternly, although not overly so. Her red tunic brushed busily in and out of the kitchen, as she brought in the food.

Later, she sat down beside her husband, and sighed a deep sigh. Yohmei looked up from the scroll in his hand, to glance at his wife.

"It's been so quiet since he left." Said Kino softly, watching the leaves dance down from the upper branches of the tall trees.

Yohmei nodded solemnly, taking another sip from his teacup.

"It seems so long ago, one and twenty years."

"Three Marches of Eve."

"Aye."

Kino put her cup down, when she felt Anna enter the room.

……………………………………………

The clinking sounds of earthen pots and porcelain came from the other room. It was a natural instinct for her to follow.

She sensed the same smell of roses and pine from the woman; the man smelled of mint and tobacco, and dust, although not unpleasantly so.

Anna walked into the dining area, where she saw the elderly couple, talking quietly with one another.

The girl stood in the arched doorway for a long while before either of them noticed her.

…………………………………………….

"That girl I found." Remarked Kino, as if Anna weren't there.

"Hm? What?" Yohmei looked up at his wife again. The old woman sighed.

"The girl I found in the forest. She has extraordinary abilities."

Upon saying that, the woman almost smirked when she felt Anna stiffen, a few feet behind her. Yohmei, wary of what his wife was trying to do, just followed suit.

It also helped that the current topic was of interest to him.

"Abilities? Of what sort?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"The lass is a shadowthief." Stated Kino simply, taking another sip from her mug.

As soon as the words sank in, Yohmei found himself nearly spitting out his tea.

"W-what?"

Behind them, Anna took a step forward. Kino smirked. She turned to the young girl.

"Good morning, girl." She greeted. "I wondered when you would wake up."

Anna, surprised that the woman had noticed she was there, blinked a few times, and asked, rather adamantly,

"How did you know?"

At this the old druid coughed, and Kino shot Yohmei a warning glance. Presently, she turned back to Anna.

"I have my ways. By the way girl, would you mind telling us of what you were doing, ten thousand feet below the skyfarer's usual courses?"

How Kino knew that Anna had come from the sky was beyond the puzzled girl; she was pretty sure that the woman knew most everything about her already, and without asking.

She might as well know the whole story.

"Come, sit." Ordered the old man, whom Anna had not recognized from the night before.

"I am Yohmei, the druid of this forest, and this is my wife, Kino." He gestured to the old lady.

Anna nodded. Without much prompting, in a manner which even she deemed unnatural for her, the girl recounted her story to the couple.

"I am Anna Kyouyama." She stated, her voice now a bit dazed, no longer defiant, but a tad bit void of expression.

"A day ago, I sailed with my father, captain Hiko. We were headed towards Little Haven, the ship ports…" she recounted everything, as if it were a lost memory, in a past life.

"He sent me to the kitchen, and before I knew it, we were driving through a storm. The men were screaming on deck, and Bregoo was pointing at something—a giant dragon-creature…"

Here her voice trailed off to a brittle whisper.

"I watched it kill my father."

Somewhere, Kino murmured something that sounded like 'Leviathan', and Yohmei sensed a landmine under all this. He rubbed his temples, wondering why his wife went through all the troubles of rescuing bleeding young girls in the middle of the night, while out searching for berries.

But then, Kino was not as young as she used to be, and neither was Yohmei. Life was short, so they certainly were going to play hard.

"You are a shadowthief." Intoned Kino presently, "But you do not know how to be one."

Anna shot a glare at the old woman. There was a contest of wills for one moment, and Yohmei admired the young woman's courage.

_Slap._

Suddenly, her gaze was averted left all of a sudden, and Anna felt a stinging sensation on her right cheek. She touched it for a moment, before locking her dark gaze upon the old woman, who was now looking at her quietly; steadily.

Anger was her first instinct.

_Why that—_

And then, Anna heard the words flow out of Kino's mouth too quickly, before she could get a firm hold on their meaning.

"You are what you do not know how to be. A shadowthief, and a young woman."

The girl felt her mouth open, but there were no words for her to say.

"I will teach you to become both," _And_ _I will teach you to respect me_, Kino thought to herself.

Anna's dark eyes widened.

"Y-you're a shadowthief?" she heard herself ask, with a quaver in her voice that she would kill herself for later.

Kino chuckled, while Yohmei eyed his wife with suspicion.

_What in heaven's name is she up to now?_ he thought.

"No," the old woman replied, "but I used to be an enchantress. You control shadows, and I, magic." Kino paused.

"We are not so different."

…………………………………………………………….

The smells, the people. They would be the same, every March of Eve, and indeed, they were the same.

Mikihisa brought his axe down with another strong blow, splitting the large piece of wood into six evenly spaced pieces. How he did that, no one would ever know.

"Breakfast?" Keiko asked, walking towards her husband.

Sweating slightly, the tall man nodded his thanks. As he took the tray from his wife, he asked,

"How are the guests?"

Keiko made a face, and the woodcutter sensed a tone of exasperation in her voice.

"You'd never believe it." She said incredulously. "They're the same merchants from the last time."

Mikihisa raised a brow in amusement. "Oh? They must like the cottage."

"Indeed." Replied Keiko, but with less enthusiasm. The woman hugged the serving tray to her bosom, and prepared to leave her husband, but then remembered something.

"Oh, I nearly forgot," she said, turning once again to the woodcutter. "The First Elder's sent for Yoh."

At that statement, Mikihisa nearly dropped his axe. "What?"

Keiko nodded thoughtfully. "I wondered about that, too. Perhaps he was chosen to become a deacon?"

Her husband just stared at her. "No, he is too young. Look at Jun, Master Tao's daughter. She was recruited at twenty-four, and she's the youngest."

"Hmmm…I guess you're right."

"Maybe the First Elder wants to see him about something else…you know, to keep out of trouble for tomorrow's opening festivities."

"Yes. Maybe that's it." Keiko looked up brightly at Mikihisa. "Well, I'll be leaving, then." The woodcutter nodded.

……………………………………………………………

Mr. Borealis looked around the loft once more, and realized that it was exactly the same as they had left it seven years ago. It still smelled slightly of hay, and the guests' furniture was the same.

The merchant sniffed, and puffed some more at his pipe, which he then laid down on the low table.

"I think we've given him enough years." Remarked a fellow merchant, who had by now, given up smoking, as it posed serious threats to his health.

Mr. Borealis nodded doubtfully.

"We shall see."

…………………………………………………………….

"REN TAO, PUT HIM DOWN!"

As the painfully piercing sound of the girl's voice reached his ears, the boy winced, but tightened his grip on the plump cat.

"Not if you make me." He muttered to himself, glaring at the adamant feline in his hands, not caring if the stupid cat didn't show any expression of fear whatsoever.

Pirika stormed noisily to Master Tao's son, anger ablaze in her eyes. The cat perked up at the sight of its owner, scrabbling furiously at the firmly clamped hands of its captor.

"YEEOWCH!" exclaimed Ren, letting the cat go.

As predicted, the cowardly puss came running, meowing pathetically, into its mistress' arms.

A very angry and murderous mistress, Ren thought disdainfully. He watched her turn purple with rage, and prepared himself for the worst shouting match ever heard in Ajima, since he was ten, and she, nine.

"WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?"

"That cat ate my father's best fish."

"He couldn't help it!"

Ren smirked.

"He couldn't help it because his mistress was too lazy to watch him!" he shot back.

Pirika turned an interesting shade of many different colours.

"HOW DARE YOU—I was helping my mother with the decorations!" she hastily kept her voice to a menacing hiss.

"More like ogling at TOMMY ROBINSON." The last part he said loud, and it was all Pirika could do to keep her temper under control.

"Shut. Up." She said, through gritted teeth.

Ren leaned forward, a smug expression on his face.

"Make me."

……………………………………………….

"Tsk." Said Mistress Tao disdainfully. "Almost adults, and still acting like children."

"You tell me." Replied Rumiko, straightening out the tablecloths, outside Master Tao's inn.

"Pirika loves that cat, ever more so, when Horohoro left."

At this, Tao Ran raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Rumiko nodded. "The cat was a gift from him. And you know that even though Piri doesn't show it, she adores Horohoro. Well, _adored_."

There was a note of sadness in the mother's voice, and Mistress Tao understood why.

Rumiko's eldest son had disappeared fourteen years ago, when he was just three. That was on the third day of the celebrations, the time when the evil wood was at its darkest.

"Well…" she said, not sure of what else to say, "Horo was a good boy, ne?"

The other woman nodded, and there was a hint of loneliness on her voice. "Yes. Sometimes arrogant, but a good boy nevertheless."

…………………………………………………………..

"Are you sure that the First Elder really called for you, Yoh?" asked the small boy skeptically, turning to his taller friend.

Beside him, Yoh shrugged.

"That's what Miss Jun told me." He said, closing his eyes to the tune of another hit song composed by Bob.

"I see," was the mumbled reply.

Years had changed Yoh. From a young boy of ten, he had grown. Seventeen was a precarious age, according to Master Tao, who could be heard at his inn, complaining about his son's antics. Seventeen was a good age to be, said Keiko.

He was not a man yet, but was still struggling to grow into one.

"It's called puberty." Manta had said.

Manta was his best friend. A lot shorter than Yoh, maybe, but still his best friend. Time didn't change friendships that much; or at least it didn't in their case.

Yoh still had messy brown hair, orange headphones and an easy smile. He was a good-natured boy, En Tao pointed out, but still painfully lazy.

Mikihisa sometimes let him help with the woodcutting, with hopes that his son would find a good profession of his own, someday. Yoh appreciated his father's well-meaning efforts, and he would occasionally chisel a sculpture—a rabbit, or something, and give it to one of the village kids.

But what the guy really wanted to do, he didn't really know yet. As smart as he was, Yoh preferred to be left alone in the shade of the big Acacia tree that grew behind his family's cottage. Listening to music and sleeping were his current professions, and Keiko didn't really have the heart to keep her son away from one of his few sources of contentment.

"YOH?"

Broken from a trance, the boy nodded to his friend. Manta sighed.

"Did you even HEAR what I was saying for the past TEN minutes?"

Yoh realized that he hadn't, and smiled sheepishly. He scratched the back of his head.

"Um, sorry Manta, but it kind of slipped my mind…" he trailed off.

The boy shook his head, and graciously repeated his statement.

"Do you think the First Elder wants to make you a deacon?" he mused loudly.

At the boy's statement, Yoh paled quite visibly.

"A deacon!"

He visualized himself in the traditional black tunic that the Elders-in-training wore, lining up quietly at certain ceremonies, like story-telling…and studying the ancient scripts day and night…fasting on certain holidays, and occasionally, becoming the First Elder's personal slave—

_Okay Yoh. Time to stop visualizing._

Vigorously, the boy shook his head, as if banishing the very idea of him becoming a deacon.

"I hope not…" he murmured.

"Eh?" at that, Manta's head turned up to look at his friend.

"What's that? I thought you wanted to become a deacon—"

"Where the hell did you get that idea?

Manta shrugged. "I don't know…it's just that normally, people of Ajima consider it an honor to be chosen as one of the future elders."

Yoh paused for a while, before replying to his friend's statement. The sound of their footsteps trodding on the dirt path was the only sound for a few minutes, aside from the rustling of the tree-leaves and the occasional chirp of the Koplinter bird.

"But I'm not normal…" Said Yoh, and at this Manta gave his friend an incredulous look, which melted into realization.

"I guess…you aren't."

Upon hearing this, Yoh suddenly turned to the shorter boy, and smiled at him. Their footsteps came to a halt, and there was silence once again.

"Thanks, Manta."

The other boy nodded, and turned to look at the giant wooden doors that lay before them. The council house.

"We're here."

**On hiatus till further notice.**


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